Glenfiddich Special Old Reserve 1990’s 35cl
A bottling from between 1994-1997. This was a transitional period when Glenfiddich were looking to drop the term ‘Pure Malt’ in favour of ‘Single Malt’. They started subtlety inserting the ‘Single Malt’ on the labels to test customer receptiveness. Around the same period, they were dropping the ‘Old’ to just ‘Special Reserve’
The taste profile is completely different from its modern 12 Year Old sister.
While both share Glenfiddich’s core DNA—such as its signature crisp orchard fruit character—the way the liquid was made, blended, and aged back then resulted in a significantly unique profile.
1990s Special Old Reserve |
Glenfiddich 12 Year Old |
|
|---|---|---|
| Character | Raw, punchy, and vibrant. | Highly polished, smooth, and rounded. |
| Fruit Profile | Tart green apple, bitter citrus pith, lemon curd, and melon. | Sweet crisp pear, rich orchard fruits, and baked apple. |
| Sweetness Style | Dry barley sugars and lighter honey. | Creamy butterscotch, heavy vanilla, and rich honey. |
| Unique Elements | Heavy candle-wax textures and a faint, subtle background peat smoke. | Very clean, unpeated, wood-forward oak tannins. |
Why They Taste Different
- The Use of Peated Malt: In the late 1970s and 1980s (when the liquid inside this bottle would have been distilled), Glenfiddich still kilned a small portion of its barley with local peat. Reviewers commonly note a subtle, dry, elemental prickle of smoke on the finish of these 90s bottles that is entirely absent today.
- The “Old Style” Waxiness: Old-style Speyside whiskies frequently carried a heavy, mouth-coating, and “waxy” texture—often likened to melted candles or linen cloth—due to slower distillation cuts and less aggressive modern filtration. Modern 12 is deliberately engineered to be cleaner and lighter on the palate.
- Age & Cask Makeup: The current 12 Year Old relies heavily on a precise, consistent marriage of European Oloroso Sherry casks and American Bourbon casks. This No-Age-Statement bottling (although likely 8 years old), likely leaned into younger, punchier American oak, making the spirit taste a bit more vibrant and raw.
ABV: 40%
SIZE: 35cl
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.